2025-2026 Council Projects
To fulfill its mission and achieve its strategic goals, the Northern Marianas Humanities Council provides a variety of high-quality humanities programs to reach as broad an audience as possible.
A250: Community Talks
A250: Community Talks is a series of facilitated, small-group reflective conversations within communities on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. These conversations are designed to engage diverse members of each island community with framed yet open-ended dialogue about ideas. Instead of focusing on reaching consensus, finding solutions, or debating an argument, the goals are exploration, listening to each other, and building community.
A250: Smithsonian Folklife Festival
A partnership with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Culture aims to boost the NMI’s visibility and impact at the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC, especially for festival activities planned for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. founding in July 2026. A key part of this partnership is a year-long professional exchange between CNMI and Smithsonian Folklife Festival organizers, involving in-person visits to each other’s festivals.
A250: My Marianas Writing Contest
An essay-writing competition open to all high school students across the Northern Mariana Islands. It’s designed to promote literacy and inspire students to explore and share their personal stories, focusing on their cultural heritage and experiences within the Marianas.
Cultural Resource Mapping Project
A developing partnership with Pacific Coastal Research and Planning (PCRP) to establish a geospatial inventory of terrestrial-based cultural and historic resources in the CNMI. The project will involve consultation, and collecting and collating data through research, community workshops and interviews.
Digital Archives
A program featuring an online digital repository located at https://archives.nmhcouncil.org. The Council initiated the Digital Archies to collect, digitize, organize, and disseminate historical media relating to the Northern Mariana Islands.The repository and related services (i.e., Digital Archival Lab), supports the preservation and study of local history and culture.
Expanding and Interpreting the Tinian National Historic Landmark
This project is funded by the National Park Service Battlefield Protection Program to carry out the following activities: (1) a proposal submission for the amendment of the Tinian North Field National Historic Landmark (NHL); (2) the development and installation of up to 21 waysides within the expanded boundaries; (3) a website featuring the Tinian North Field NHL; and (4) a supplemental curriculum to integrate related historic information into NMI History courses.
Governor’s Humanities Awards
An annual awards ceremony hosted by the Council in partnership with the Office of the Governor to recognizee outstanding contributions to the humanities by individuals and organizations. Categories of awards include: Research and Publication in the Humanities, Outstanding Humanities Teacher, Preservation of Traditional Cultural Practices, Preservation of CNMI History, and Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities.
Humanities Month Proclamation Signing Event
The Council initiates this event annually with a gubernatorial proclamation designating October as Humanities Month. A theme is developed (i.e. “Strengthening our Shared Heritage”) and presenters are invited to speak to this theme. The proclamation is read aloud in Chamorro, Carolinian, and English during the event.
Inafa’måolik – Tipiyeew Matters
IT Matters funded a study conducted by Dr. Isa Arriola that examines community cultural values, perspectives, and experiences as they relate to intergroup biases and conflicts. The study also explored Inafa’måolik (Chamoro) and Tipiyeew (Carolinian) values and their relationship to maintaining harmony and cohesion within the NMI. The program included community events to engage audiences with the study’s findings and will culminate in the dissemination of reports and infographics to community leaders.
Marianas History Conference
The Marianas History Conference gathers scholars and researchers from around the world to share and discuss the history, cultural heritage, language, political status, demographic changes, and experiences of the people of the Mariana Islands. Held every two years, the conference is co-organized by the Northern Marianas Humanities Council, the University of Guam, Humanities Guahan, Guampedia, and the Guam Preservation Trust. It promotes collaboration among archaeologists, historians, social anthropologists, and individuals with a general interest in the Marianas. The event encourages the joint efforts of people in Guam and the Northern Marianas to tell many stories and involve the communities of this archipelago in sharing and discussing their history, cultural heritage, language, political status, demographic shifts, and lived experiences.
Satawal Pwo Ceremony Documentary Film
The goal of this project is to record on film the key elements of the Satawal Pwo Ceremony that are important to the Satawal community. This documentation will include the specific tasks and responsibilities taken on by both women and men to prepare individuals for mastery in areas such as celestial navigation, sailing, canoe and canoe house construction, traditional healing, weather prediction, and the interpretation of ocean currents, wave patterns, and bird and sea life behaviors. Additionally, the film will document the ceremonial structure and protocols of the Pwo, along with the knowledge and wisdom shared by cultural experts with Pwo initiates.
Service, Sacrifice, and Resilience: Guardians on the Front Lines
A documentary film series focused on the stories, perspectives, and experiences of US military veterans and first responders connected with the Marianas.
Your Humanities Half Hours
Your Humanities Half Hour is a talk show that features interviews with experts, cultural bearers, and community members, exploring a range of humanities topics. Each episode is broadcast on cable TV (KSPN2), various podcast platforms, and the Council’s YouTube channel.
